25th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Will be held in Madrid

The impact of climate change constitutes one of the most critical threats to human life and nature, directly affecting the lives of the poor and most vulnerable worldwide. Climate change hits harder than projected by climate science. The latest Special IPCC Reports emphasize that the world needs to take urgent, transformative action to avert the most severe impacts of global warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius.

LWF advocates for climate justice with a strong focus on ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement, emphasizing that it is possible to stay at 1.5 C to prevent a climate disaster. It is an increasing matter of concern that climate action itself can be detrimental to justice and people's rights as mitigation or adaptation policies and projects, if poorly planned, can undermine those for whom they are intended. Thus, climate action should be designed and implemented so as to respect and promote justice for humans and other species, and human rights.

The LWF delegation at COP 25 brings together experienced climate leaders, who together with a youth delegation, advocate for the voiceless from a faith perspective along with ecumenical partners.

Find more information on this subject at:

• LWF on Climate Justice
• LWF COP Delegations
• LWF Assembly Resolution on Climate Change
• ACT Alliance: Climate Change Advocacy Framework Position (2016–2018)

The Twelfth Assembly called upon the LWF to ensure that those in the Lutheran communion who feel called to lay or ordained ministry can access quality theological education. The Theological Education and Formation (TEF) Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) that was established to lead this work is holding its final meeting, 14-17 January, in Geneva.  

From meetings held since 2018, the 11 SAG members - teaching theologians, students and LWF member church representatives – have developed a strategy, which has been shared in the seven LWF regions and approved by the 2019 LWF Council. The current gathering will give input regarding the composition of the steering committee and prioritize activities for the TEF Network. 

LWF Twelfth Assembly Resolution on Theological Education https://2017.lwfassembly.org/en/resolution-theological-education

UPDATE

This event was updated from an event initially planned for 16 – 19 March 2020.

It was updated a second time from an event initially planned for 19 – 23 October 2020.

LWF European Diaconal Process – 3^rd Workshop

The European Diaconal Process considers questions of spirituality, motivation and practice, which influence both the professional diaconal and pastoral work and "everyday life". The response to populism, nationalism, racism and xenophobia are a key issue as are ecumenical and inter-faith working. The guiding orientation for the process is the concept of conviviality with the sub-themes of vocation, dignity and justice.

The projected result is the building up of an influential conviviality group that will be a resource to Lutheran churches. It will help them affirm diversity and contribute to public discourse by providing them with pedagogical material for use by local congregations, best practice examples for working with diversity in church and society and proposals for policy in church and the public realm.

Participants' registration deadline: 14 October 2020

UPDATE

This event has been updated from an event initially planned for 25 – 27 March 2020.

Training of facilitators on SDG assessments for churches and related actors

The training focuses on the active involvement of churches and their related organizations in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The aim is to create a group of facilitators who have the knowledge and skills to conduct SDG trainings, assessments and planning processes for church-related actors both in Finland and other parts of the world.

Topics that will be covered include:

• Getting to know the UN Agenda 2030 and LWF’s Waking the Giant initiative
• Theological reflection on SDGs – why churches and SDGs?
• Understanding specific SDGs more in-depth
• How to use the SDG Self-assessment tool
• Next steps: What to do with the results?

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Waking the Giant

Living a new normal

Over the past months, we have been in an unprecedented journey and our ways of living, working and connecting have changed due to the pandemic.

Young people are disproportionately affected by this current situation and are finding new ways of coping and settling into a new normal.

Young speakers from the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (India), The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria and Church of Sweden, will reflect on how life has changed amid COVID-19 in their countries and communities. They will share how their churches are engaging or preparing for a post-pandemic world.

Join the Converssation

Global Young Reformers Network

Join our 2nd Waking the Giant webinar focusing on SDG16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions

This online presentation and panel discussion will explore the ways in which churches in different countries are contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16, helping to bring peace, justice and the development of strong institutions.  

The Webinar agenda includes: 

• Overview of the SDG16 targets and indicators 
• Examples of the SDG16 implementation from our Waking the Giant programs in Colombia and the United States 
• Panel discussion on best practices and creative ways in which churches or church-related actors can contribute to this goal  
• Reflections on the Christian responsibility and commitment to justice and peacemaking 

For further details, send an email to [email protected] 

Registration deadline: 14 September 2020 

Zoom registration

Waking the Giant

Waking the Giant: SDG-16

Learning from young people of faith acting for climate

25 September is the Global Day of Climate Action. For this day, The Lutheran World Federation will host a Season of Creation webinar on the topic of Prophetic Voices for Climate Action. Ecumenical youth from around the globe will gather to share their experiences of climate action.

We will hear from:

• Charles Bakolo Mvula, Coordinator of Renew our World from the Green Anglicans,
• Luiz Filip Fialho and Daniel Dos Santos Lima, Brazilian activists from the Manaus Anglican Community,
• Kelly Sherman-Conroy, a Lakota-Sioux theologian studying at Luther Seminary, and
• Aaron Salzman from the Catholic Divestment Network and Laudato Si’ Generation.

Register for the Zoom webinar

Event languages: English (translation into Spanish) 

Follow live on Youtube

NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, streaming has been canceled. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Event live-streaming language: English ) 

Many churches in the ecumenical family observe the “Season of Creation” (also known as Creation Time) between 1 September and 4 October, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, as observed by some Western traditions. For the Lutheran communion, this liturgical season of prayer and action is an opportunity to affirm LWF’s commitment to address a central crisis of our time – climate change. “Jubilee for the Earth” is the 2020 theme for the “Season of Creation”.

Season of Creation videos

LWF Season of Creation page

Jubilee for the Earth: Season of Creation 2020 Celebration Guide

Girls for a Future

The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious consequences for children worldwide, but especially for girls. School closures put especially girls at risk to not only lose out on education temporarily, but to drop out entirely, removing the opportunity to determine their own future. At the same time, the protection mechanisms which work in school are no longer in place.  LWF country programs in the past months have noted an increase in sexual and gender-based violence, early marriage and teen pregnancies which will likely become worse.

Online and on social media, LWF will share insights from the field, voices of girls and of LWF education and protection officers. Please share these insights, and support LWF’s work to empower girls.

Please follow, comment and share the #girlsforafuture #LWFforhopeandafuture on social media and join us on our profiles:

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Resources

Churches worldwide mark Reformation anniversary

On 31 October, Lutherans around the globe commemorate the anniversary of the Reformation. To mark the occasion this year, LWF’s Communion Office is providing new multi-lingual worship materials and other online resources to help churches pray and reflect together on the meaning of Reformation in our contemporary context. These include:

• Prayers focusing on the global, ecumenical and on-going nature of this event and a suggested Gospel reading, so that churches can join together through shared celebrations in their different national contexts.

• During the week leading up to 31 October, we will publish videos with reflections from all seven LWF regions on what it means to be Lutheran in different countries and cultures.

• On 27 October, we explore how churches can engage better with media through a webinar highlighting the ongoing concern for literacy and education to combat fake news and misleading theologies.

On Reformation day, an anniversary edition of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) will be published, showcasing plans for future joint action among the five global communions that have endorsed this landmark ecumenical document.

Related Events

“One Body, One Spirit, One Hope” Reformation Day Global Prayer – LWF Youth lead global Reformation prayer

Read more The Lutheran World Federation will gather online to unite in prayer on Reformation Day, 31 October, 2020.

“One Body, One Spirit, One Hope” Reformation Day Global Prayer

Join our 3rd Waking the Giant webinar focusing on SDGs and theological reflections

Agenda for the webinar presenting theological reflections to underpin the UN Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Introductions (15min)
  • Why Churches and SDGs?
  • Professor Emeritus Dr. Kjell Nordstokke: Theological reflections on churches’ involvement with the SDGs (45min)

15 min break

• Panel discussion (1h)

  • Panelists:

    • Rev. Chad Rimmer LWF/Switzerland

    • Rev. S. Helen Chukka/India

    • Dr. Prof. Faustin Muhali/Tanzania

    • Ms. Nathaly Quito/Colombia

  • Moderator

    • Dr. Rev. Ryan Cumming

• Discussion (30min)

• Wrap up (15min)

This webinar is part of our wider 2020 SDG online training course

Register for the Zoom webinar

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Waking the Giant